1. Field of the Invention
Those who practice informal outdoor pistol and rifle shooting often have difficulty finding a suitable target. Informal settings usually do not offer any sort of permanent target holders. Some shooters use glass bottles, cans, cardboard boxes, fenceposts, signs, and even trees as targets, resulting in unsightly litter and damaged property.
There is a need for a portable target stand which could be transported to the shooting site in the trunk of a car. The stand should be easy to set up, and it should not require assembly. It should be set into the ground easily to establish a safe, stable footing. The construction should be strong and durable for repeated use. The stand itself should present the minimum amount of target surface to the shooter, thus preventing damage to the stand from a misplaced or stray shot. At the present time, there is nothing readily available that meets these needs.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 2,048,155 to Armantrout discloses a frame holding a continuous roll of targets which may be displayed and clamped in place by adjustable clamping means. The frame is held in place by its two legs being inserted in sockets which are hammered into the ground. The frame is collapsible for transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,111 to Norberg discloses a vertical post which may be screwed into a ground support, the ground support itself being suitable for disassembly. A collapsible target frame is slideable on the post, and may be retained by a clamp at any elevation. The target paper is tacked to the frame by thumb tacks or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,538,118 to Miller discloses a pole which is slideable within a ground-penetrating tube, and which may be clamped at various heights. The pole itself is pointed and may be driven into the ground without using the tube. The pole supports a frame having collapsible vertical members, each of which supports a leaf spring at the midpoint of the spring. The target is clipped at its corners to the ends of the leaf springs.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,174 to Hutson discloses a channel-iron frame open at the top for insertion of a rigid target sheet of given size. Pointed support legs are screwed into the bottom of the frame. Means are provided for storing the legs on the frame when the stand is disassembled for transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,519 to Hand discloses a wooden frame having opposing slots in the vertical members to hold a rigid target of given size. The vertical members are held in position by a cross-member near the bottom, and a cross-member about halfway up the assembly. Hinged support legs are attached on opposite side of the upper cross-member at its median, for support from both front and back, and for adaptation to uneven ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,251 to Loveland et al. discloses a pointed pole, the upper end of which is adapted to receive and retain the two ends of a hoop. Spring clips are slidable around the hoop for retaining the edges or corners of a target of given size.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,533 to Still discloses a yard sign system for realtors comprising a pointed first post telescopically receiving a second post which may be secured to the first post at different heights. A third post is telescopically receivable within the second post. The second and third posts each have arms extending therefrom, the arms having sliding sleeves suitable for receiving the screws which retain the signs it is desired to display. The first post is forced into the ground before sign assembly with a special pounding tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,233 to Hull discloses a yard sign post comprising a square tube with a longitudinal slot in one side of the tube. The sign to be displayed must be folded along one vertical edge for retention within the slot. The sign must, of course, be rigid in order to stand out sideways. The lower end of the post is provided with a foot plate from which depends a sharpened stake for ground penetration. In a second embodiment the post is made in an L-shape, with the slotted side facing downward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,956 to Foreman discloses a target stand which rests on the ground. A first embodiment discloses a segmented circular frame with which special clamps are used to hold the arcuate segments in proper relationship to each other, as well as to attach the support legs to the frame. A second embodiment discloses a segmented rectangular frame with the same kind of support arrangement. In either case, target paper is supported by hooks attached to the frame, the hooks cooperating with holes in the paper. A third embodiment discloses a folding target which may also be secured by hooks attached to the frame.